Attending an elite private university has long been considered by many to be the highest aspiration of academically ambitious students. In recent years, however, with increased competition and tuition prices, many high academic achievers have found successful alternatives to a traditional private college education.

Luckily, many large public universities have responded to this burgeoning demand by creating prestigious honors programs to attract gifted and other high-achieving students. Let’s take a look at some of the opportunities public honors college programs offer to assist you in making an educated decision.

One of the primary benefits of an honors program is the quality of education many provide. Honors programs boast small class sizes taught by respected, full-time professors rather than part-time faculty or adjuncts. Other academic advantages offered by many honors programs can include a smaller ratio of staff to students, priority registration of classes, special library privileges, honors residence halls, stipends for study abroad programs, special seminars, greater access to internships and research opportunities. These can contribute to an overall closer relationship among students and faculty within the honors community.

Public honors programs can vary from a full scheduleof honors courses to just a single honors seminar per semester in addition to regular classes. One should research any programs beyond their title “honors” to determine the breadth of the curriculum.

One of the most appealing things about any public university education over their private counterparts may be the cost. There may be merit scholarships available that would not be offered at more selective schools. In addition, many students are attracted to the “big school experience” which can include athletics and an abundance and variety of classes with specialized science and arts facilities.

Ultimately deciding whether attending an honors program at a public university is right for you will depend on a myriad of different factors. What you’d like to major in, what kind of environment you thrive in, what kind of social life you’re interested in, and what your plans are after graduation could all factor into the decision.​If you’d like help finding the best option for you and taking the right steps to get you there, the admissions counselors at College Docs in Fairfield, CT can help. Offering personalized college action plans, College Docs helps with every step of the college admissions process, including recommending high school coursework, compiling a college list and essay consultations. Call (203) 330-1852 or send an email to collegedocs@gmail.com to learn more.

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Authors

Dr. Franklin and Dr. Boudin are psychologists who work with students and their families as college admissions consultants.